An armed man shot eight children during a family dispute at two different locations on Sunday. This is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in over two years, according to the Shreveport police in Louisiana.
The victims were between the ages of 1 and 14, as reported by Chris Bordelon, a spokesperson for the Shreveport police. In total, 10 people were struck by bullets.
The suspect stole a vehicle while fleeing the scene before being pursued by the police. He was shot by officers at the end of a chase, the police officer added.
The police have not revealed the suspect’s identity but specified that he was an adult man.
Authorities stated they were continuing to gather information at three different locations south of downtown Shreveport: the two houses where the murders occurred and a third location. Some of the victims were related to the suspect, Mr. Bordelon stated.
“It is a scene of unprecedented magnitude that most of us have never seen,” he acknowledged.
This is the deadliest shooting in the United States since January 2024 when eight people were killed in Chicago in January 2024, according to a database created by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
During a press conference at the residence where the shooting took place, officials seemed shocked, asking the community to be patient and pray while they examined the multiple crime scenes.
“I simply don’t know what to say, I am in shock,” said Wayne Smith, chief of the Shreveport police. “I can’t even imagine how such an event could occur.”
“This is a tragic situation – perhaps the worst tragic situation we have ever faced,” echoed Tom Arceneaux, mayor of this city in northwest Louisiana with around 180,000 residents. “It’s a terrible morning!”
The Louisiana State Police stated that their investigators had been called upon by the Shreveport police to lead the investigation. In a statement, the state police clarified that no officers were injured during the shooting involving a police officer following a police pursuit in Bossier City on Sunday morning.
The state police are asking anyone with pictures, videos, or information to inform the investigators.
/2026/04/19/69e515908039a881345972.jpg "In the United States, eight children aged 1 to 14 shot dead in Louisiana, suspect killed by police")
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